Hold Me Close
by OnlyOneLover
Summary: Blaine holds Kurt while he sleeps, reflecting on some of their times together. The two share a simple, loving moment together. Some sentimental Kurt and Blaine fluff! Rated K-plus for a brief mention of intimacy.


So this is my first story, and it is a Kurt and Blaine one-shot. These two characters both fascinate and inspire me, and I hope you enjoy the story! Feel free to review; I'm always open to constructive advice.

**Hold Me Close**

The air felt… cool.

Just cool enough for one to wake up comfortably, rather than to wake up pulling his or her blankets closer for warmth. And just cool enough for the soft white pillows to feel pleasant against one's cheek, not needing to be turned over every now and again as they do on hot summer mornings.

Before he even realized that his eyes had opened, the blackness of sleep began to bleed away like water colors down a canvas, revealing the colors and shapes of everyday life. The boy noted, however, that the colors were not as vivid as they usually were when he awoke. They were dimmed, muddled, overcast by a haze of light blue. Only a second more, and the seventeen-year-old became aware of an endless drumming rhythm of white noise, one previously unnoticed.

Blaine Anderson lifted his head off of the cool, soft pillow and allowed his eyes to adjust. Once his vision had cleared up, he looked out the window just across the bedroom and noted a cloudy, deep gray sky and a constant downpour of heavy rain.

The seventeen-year-old flipped to lie on his back and ran a hand through his messy black hair, then closed his eyes and took a deep breath of the early-morning air. Under normal circumstances, he'd have hopped out of bed, ready to start the day like the early bird he prides himself on being, but this morning was different. It may have been the soft blue haze that enshrouded the room. It may have been the "lazy-day" weather. It may have been the fact that the night before, he had practically passed out in exhaustion. Whatever the reason, Blaine was in no hurry to leave his comfortable place beneath the blankets of his boyfriend's bed.

Coincidentally, as Blaine's thoughts drifted in this direction, there was a slight stir from the thinner, paler, yet slightly taller body next to him. A stir, and then a soft whimper.

This small sound was now familiar to Blaine, who at this point had spent a few pleasant, innocent nights with sixteen-year-old Kurt Hummel. It was the sound his boyfriend made during unpleasant dreams, and during nightmares. To Blaine, it was Kurt's meek and subconscious cry for help and for comfort.

Turning to look at Kurt, though, Blaine could not find it in himself to wake him just yet. His eyes were just a little too dark, his body just a little too ensconced in the blankets… _He'll wake up when he's ready. _

But Blaine knew what to do. As Kurt stirred again, turning his back to Blaine, Blaine took the opportunity to move in and wrap an arm around him from behind, pulling him into a warm, tight embrace. Blaine propped his head up in the palm of his hand, with his elbow resting on Kurt's pillow, now in a perfect, comfortable spoon with his boyfriend.

Blaine smiled and laughed quietly to himself when he felt Kurt's body push itself closer into his own. Blaine brought the hand of his embracing arm up to Kurt's head. Slowly, affectionately, he stroked the soft, slightly pink-flushed skin of his cheek.

As he stroked the skin in slow, soothing repetitions, his eyes wandered from his boyfriend's now peaceful face to the pair of bare feet that lay uncovered by the blankets at the edge of the bed. He smiled again as Kurt subconsciously rubbed his feet together. It reminded Blaine of the fun he had when he first found out just how ticklish Kurt's feet could be. He was always looking for ways to make Kurt laugh so he could see that beautiful smile and hear that infectious laughter. Blaine chuckled quietly at the memories of getting Kurt to share secrets and spill juicy gossip by either threatening to tickle his heels or by actually catching him and tickling them.

Once again, his eyes began to wander. They made their way up Kurt's legs (which were covered by the blankets) and up to his hips and stomach, around which the blankets had fallen sideways, thereby leaving exposed. Between the elastic waistband of his plaid pajama pants and the bottom hem of the black t-shirt that had been pushed up slightly while he stirred, Blaine could see the fair skin around Kurt's belly-button area and on his left hip bone. Right near that bone, there was an area of skin that was darker than the rest – the remnants of Kurt's most recent encounter with David Karofsky. Just a few days fresh, the wound on Kurt's side was now a deep shade of purple, and according to Kurt, still hurt when pressure was applied. Blaine had a sudden flashback to his first encounter with the frightened, tormented teenager. Seeing Kurt's eyes fill with tears at the mere mention of a "zero-tolerance no-bullying policy" nearly made Blaine cry himself.

He flashed forward to the afternoon of two days before today; the afternoon Blaine had picked Kurt up from school to walk him home, only to find him sitting alone on the steps of the school's back entrance, hugging his legs to his chest, resting his head on his knees, fighting back the urge to cry. It was the day Karofsky had shoved him onto the cinderblock locker room wall, giving him that bruise.

Instinctively, Blaine stopped stroking Kurt's cheek and rewrapped his arm around Kurt, as if to protect him from further harm. Subconsciously, Kurt responded by snuggling closer into the protective embrace of his boyfriend.

Again, Blaine's eyes began to move. From the bruise on Kurt's exposed hip bone, they moved up his arms and onto front-side, observing the steady rise and fall of his chest. Instantly, Blaine was reminded of the very first time he and Kurt had gotten more intimate than a simple kiss.

Four or five weeks into their relationship, Blaine and Kurt found themselves alone in Blaine's house for an evening, knowing that his family would not be home until late the next day. It started like most other home-based dates: lots of goofing around, singing, talking about music and social life, and eventually putting on a record and snuggling on the couch in his basement.

All it took to change things… was a touch.

The two had been lost in a sweet, innocent kiss, when Blaine's hand slowly moved from Kurt's shoulder, right down to the center of his chest. Right over his heart. At this, their lips parted. They're eyes met for a moment. But then, slowly, they both looked down at Blaine's hand as it rested firmly against Kurt's chest. And that is when they both noticed just how fast he was breathing, and just how rapidly and loudly his heart was beating.

Nervously, keeping his eyes on the hand of his boyfriend, Kurt lifted his own shaky hand and pressed it against Blaine's chest as well. Both pairs of eyes moved to Kurt's hand, and both boys noticed the heaviness of Blaine's breath and the speed and strength of _his_ heartbeat. The two raised their heads and looked into each other's eyes. They didn't need to speak to understand each other; Blaine knew what Kurt was telling him with that one simple look: _I'm ready, Blaine. I'm terrified, but I'm ready. _

And Blaine knew exactly what Kurt was ready for. Kurt did not mean he was ready to go all the way; the fear in his eyes told Blaine that. But Blaine knew that Kurt was ready to go where he had never gone before, even if it was only one small step. And that's when Blaine answered Kurt with another look, another message from the eyes: _I'm ready too, Kurt. And I know you're scared, but you don't have to be… because you're my everything. And I will never, ever, hurt you. _

As gently and carefully as he could, and without breaking gazes with nervous teen in front of him, Blaine took the bottom hem of Kurt's shirt and pulled it upwards. Kurt took a deep breath, then tentatively raised his arms above his head as Blaine peeled the shirt off of Kurt's body in one fluid motion. Kurt closed his eyes and exhaled, his face and neck flushing a light shade of pink. Blaine placed a gentle hand beneath Kurt's chin and lifted his head so that their gazes met again. He leaned in and, as comfortingly and as adoringly as he could, he whispered, "Kurt… you are so… so… beautiful." Then, again, their lips met.

And everything from that point on… the other items of clothing they removed, the times and ways in which they felt, touched, kissed, and caressed each other, the soft words of guidance, comfort, and adoration they whispered, and even the record finishing and the needle returning to its position, leaving them to show their love for each other in silence… it was all a dreamland. A beautiful, heavenly, new and exhilarating dreamland…

… "Was I sleep-talking again, Blaine? Blaine? Blaine…?"

"Wha… what?"

"Was I talking in my sleep again?" repeated a tired, groggy Kurt from inside Blaine's embrace as he rubbed his eyes and let out a long, silent yawn.

Blaine shook his head from side to side for a moment, shaking himself out of his reminiscent day dream and back to reality.

"Were you… were you… oh! No, no you weren't, actually," he said, looking down at his boyfriend with a kind smile.

After finishing his yawn and looking up into Blaine's eyes, Kurt continued sleepily, "Oh, good. I'm always afraid one of these days I'm going to be, you know, talking in my sleep, and I'll let out some deep dark secret…"

Blaine raised his eyebrows and said, "Oh, you have deep, dark secrets, do you?" before playfully tickling his boyfriend's stomach.

As it happened, almost every part of Kurt's body was ticklish… _His feet are just extra, super ticklish, _Blaine thought with a chuckle.

"N-n-n-no," Kurt stammered, laughing and trying not to show how sensitive to Blaine's fingers his stomach was. Blaine laughed as well, then stopped tickling and simply let his hand rest on Kurt's belly while Kurt continued, "Not from you, anyway," with a smile.

_And there it is, _thought Blaine, _the smile that made me fall in love. _He leaned over and placed a short, simple kiss on Kurt's forehead, then pulled back and watched his cheeks flush just one shade deeper.

For a few moments, the two just stared into each other's eyes, loving every minute they spent loving each other. Eventually, Blaine leaned back, slightly propped up against the pillows. He looked down at Kurt with another smile, one that Kurt returned with a charming, timid sincerity before whispering, "Hold me close?"

Blaine extended his arms and pulled Kurt into another tight embrace, then allowed Kurt to rest his head against his chest and snuggle up against his side.

Lightly, Blaine placed another kiss atop Kurt's head, then squeezed him affectionately and whispered back.

"Always."

I hope you enjoyed the story! If you have any advice or criticisms, I'm all ears!

Live long and prosper! (:


End file.
